It is a parasite that multiplies inside a cat and has already infected 60 million Americans.

Max the cat from Miami Lakes could be a carrier.

“I do love my cats. I am obsessed with my cats,” said Anna Carabeo who admits Max is a part of her family. “They are. They totally are and you think about them all the time.”

The bad news for Carabeo is that Max could be the carrier of a tiny parasite called Toxoplasma Gondii, which if passed on to humans can control our brain.

The parasite reproduces inside a cat’s intestines. Infected cats then excrete millions of microscopic eggs called Oocysts in the soil, in water, and in the cat litter.

That’s why pregnant women are told not to handle litter boxes.  People who are infected with the parasite and show no signs.

“So it’s our immune system that really helps to control the parasite keep it in check,” said Dr. Patricia Conrad.

But now there’s growing evidence, the parasite can creep into your brain, and manipulate your behavior and cause schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

The work of Czech scientist Dr. Jaroslav Flegr takes it a step further.

Flegr discovered how people infected with the parasite develop subtle personality changes.  The organism appears to slow down reaction times and cause individuals to take more risks like crossing the street even when there is a car coming.

“I must admit I was very surprised,” said Dr. Flegr.

But why would a parasite steer you into oncoming traffic, potentially killing you?

“It wants to survive and it’s very good at it,” said Dr. Conrad who is an expert in Toxoplasma at the U.C. Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Her team studies the parasite in wild and domestic animals.

Conrad said since the parasite ultimately needs to get back into a cat to reproduce, studies show how it performs a pretty nifty trick. If mice are infected with Toxo the parasite goes to their brain and it alters their behavior.

So, instead of running away from cats, mice will flock to cat urine. The cat then eats the mouse and the parasite gets back into the cat and reproduces.

So how does that affect us?

Once upon a time we were potential prey for bigger cats which might explain why the parasite slows us down. It wants to get back into a bigger cat.

In the meantime, as a precaution, should we get rid of cats like Max?

“No, no, they are way too cute,” said Carabeo.

Experts say to protect yourself and your cat, all you have to do is keep the cat indoors.

If you have an outdoor cat, make sure it is fed very well and gets regular checkups.

Marie Johnson’s invention does that and it could save lives – all because she listened to her heart.

Her rustic retreat at the end of a dirt road outside of Northfield, Minn., is just about the last place you’d think would be home to a medical breakthrough. But a garage startup is where Johnson bypasses the business world.

“I believe we are going to save a lot of lives, reduce the number of widows and widowers, and little kids that don’t get to grow up with their father or mother. That’s my goal,” Johnson said.

Johnson, 44, has spent the past decade developing a handheld device that can quickly detect heart blockages.

Her company, AUM Cardiovascular, is about to launch FDA trials, which is a bright outlook for an invention born from one of life’s darkest moments.

Johnson didn’t know it, but her project began just before she and her husband, Rob, were about to have their second child.

“I just said to him, ‘I have this feeling that you are going to die and leave me with this baby,’” Johnson said.

Johnson is a biomedical engineer, and science soon supported her premonition.

“I was doing this project with the 3M Company to develop a computerized stethoscope, and I recorded all this information from him and discovered he had an anomaly,” she said.

Rob went to his doctor, but aced a stress test.

Nine months later, Johnson went to the YMCA to meet him for his usual workout.

“There was an ambulance, and a body with a white sheet. And I turned to my daughter, who was 4 and said, ‘We have to pray, because someone has died here today,’” Johnson said.

In that parking lot, police would tell Johnson she was a widow.

“I mean, honestly, the whole world was spinning, and I just, just didn’t believe it,” she said.

An autopsy showed a heart attack in Rob’s left anterior descending artery, commonly called “The Widow Maker,” because a blockage there usually causes sudden death.

In her research, Johnson knew she heard something in her husband’s heart. That’s when she listened closer.

“I remember sitting at my desk at 3 o’clock in the morning, all the lights were off, I just had the glow of my computer screen,” she said. “And I could hear God whisper.”

Faith helped her form an algorithm that could pinpoint heart problems through sound.

Johnson said just as you hear water rushing past rocks in a stream, the sound of blood rushing past a blockage is audible too, and her device picks up that current.

“It listens to patients in a different way,” she said. “Sensors pick up turbulence in a narrowing artery.”

Johnson named her device the CADence. The device fits it the palm of the hand and it takes measurements at four different places on the chest, which takes around two minutes. The information is then downloaded and analyzed.

Cardiologists believe the CADence could change the way they practice.

University of Minnesota Chief Cardiologist Dr. Bob Wilson said the CADence shows promise of replacing a treadmill stress test, because it’s easier and cheaper. He also said that its impact on medicine could be global.

“I would hope they start using it in the university emergency room, tomorrow,” he said.

Wilson became Johnson’s principle investigator.

“It’s completely one of those ‘aha!’ moments that you have,” he said.

Steve Kiemele, a Fargo venture capitalist and CFO of Linn Grove Ventures, says he’s more interested in the faith side of the story. He agreed to be one of Johnson’s three test subjects.

However, when his test results came in, they were quite concerning.

“The look on her face suggested…that [I] should see a doctor,” he said.

So he went and the doctor did a stress test, which turned up nothing. Not convinced – especially in light of what happened to Johnson’s husband, Kiemele asked his doctor for a CT scan.

Kiemele said the scan confirmed he had an issue in his left anterior descending artery (aka The Widow Maker).

He says his life was saved by divine intervention.

Johnson said God has been with her throughout her project.

“I know that we were supposed to do this,” she said.

Her husband only lived to be 41-years-old, but she thinks her invention will keep thousands of families together.

“I think he’d be proud,” she said.

In 2011, AUM Cardiovascular took the top $50,000 prize at the Minnesota Cup entrepreneurial competition, which called AUM the most promising company in Minnesota. Johnson’s company beat out more than 1,000 participants.

She left her faculty position at the University of Minnesota’s Medical Device Fellows Program in 2009 to pursue her business full time, and is now remarried.

“It’s joy, just remembering what a special guy he was,” she said.

AUM Cardiology will begin clinical trials on the CADence across the country in June. Johnson says her device could hit the market by October 2013, pending FDA approval.

Necessity may be the mother of invention, but at the heart of Johnson’s work, love is the lifeblood.

Yolanda Mixon, who served in the Army for nearly 19 years, including a stint in the Gulf War, was diagnosed with lupus which eventually led to kidney failure and pulmonary fibrosis, scarring of the lung tissue which makes it difficult to breathe.

“I started out having arthritis-like pain in my joints so I went to the clinic and did the blood work and came back with lupus,” explained Yolanda.

Doctors told Yolanda, a single mother raising two children; she would eventually need a kidney transplant.

Her daughter, Lekisha Mixon, immediately volunteered to be tested and was the perfect match.

“I feel like my Mom has given me the most wonderful life, said Lekisha, a forensic psychologist who lives in Miami Beach.”I’ve never had to want for anything and this was my way of giving back to her.”

The illness forced the military to retire her after more than 18 years of service and soon her body would retire itself if she didn’t get a new kidney.

“I told my daughter and she said ‘Mom, I’ll give you a kidney’,” said Yolanda.

Unfortunately, the organ transplant was delayed in 2006 because Yolanda’s condition was deteriorating. Doctors had to wait until she was strong enough for the transplant. Doctors placed her on dialysis, a process that filters waste from the blood, three times a week. Over the next few years, Yolanda was in and out of the hospital many times, often critically ill in intensive care.

But Yolanda wasn’t going to give up. She drew from her military roots and began to work out and train for it. Six years later, she was ready.

University of Miami /Jackson transplant surgeons, George Burke, M.D., and Junichiro Sageshima, M.D., operated on Yolanda and Lekisha at Jackson Memorial Hospital on May 9th.

“With all the training that she’s done, with all the exercise that she’s done, rarely do we take the breathing tube out at the end of the surgery which was really surprising in a positive way,” said Dr. Burke.

“I was surprised myself when I woke up,” said Yolanda.

The surgery was a success and Yolanda now has complete kidney function.

Yolanda, who now works as a civilian IT specialist at the U.S. Southern Command in Doral, said she will never be able to repay her daughter for saving her life.

“My daughter gave me the gift of life and she is in my debt forever,” said Yolanda.

“Showing her that I appreciate everything and keeping her around so I can give her grand babies because she keeps bothering me,” joked Lekisha.

As more and more companies look for ways to trim those costs, they’re increasingly making it easier for employees to get moving, like Mona Jordan who works in the Human Resources Department with Broward County.

After years of sitting at her desk, almost all of her work day, Mona got inspired to join the wellness program offered by Humana at her job.

“Well, actually I was inspired by someone who sent an email. She was talking about she had lost weight and how she’d really gotten on to it. She’s about my age. She’s in her fifties and I’m thinking if that girl can do it, I can too,” said Mona Jordan.

Now Mona can move at work.

A new treadmill station was recently installed by Humana at the Broward County Government offices in Fort Lauderdale and now she can work and exercise at the same time.

“It’s great because I can actually come here and do my work or I could do a conference call. Or you know anything, or I could meet with somebody down here and be on the treadmill talking to them,” explained Mona.

The wellness program also teaches employees about diet and exercise. Another motivator are the points participants can earn to use towards shopping. Points are a great incentive for Mona to get healthy.

“You know, I’m not going to eat a candy bar, I’m going to eat an apple. You know, because you have to put it into the program every day. And you get points and then you get to buy things with the points, and I like points!” said Mona.

Research shows that people who sit for most of the day are 54 percent more likely to have a heart attack. Now that Mona has the treadmill and the Wellness program she’s on her way to good health.

“I think it’s really getting you in touch with your health,” said Mona. “I’m 53-years old but my health, after I got assessed in the vitality assessment said I was 57. So, I decided right then, there are some things I need to change,” explained Mona.

Nurse Lisa Wright coordinates health education for Broward County employees. She said the entire program has made a big difference in the overall everyday productivity.

“It’s decreased absenteeism, members are healthier, claims are down, it’s a win-win situation,” said Wright. “They’re on board and they’re excited. The county wants their employees to be healthy.”

Ariste Wright juggles kids and a career. At age 48, she says that she that is exhausted.

“I’m very, very frustrated,” Wright said.

Fatigue is the number one complaint that Dr. Eva Cwynar hears from her patients. That is what led her to write the book The Fatigue Solution.

She has treated average housewives and even “desperate” ones, like actress Felicity Huffman, who was desperate for some energy.

“They know that they are no longer the person that they used to be and the answers that they’re getting are, well what do you expect? You’re getting older,” Dr. Cwynar said.

Stress, lack of sleep, low sex drive – they can all be caused by fatigue, something millions of women have. Many of them are told that there is simply nothing that can be done.

“The easiest thing to diagnose when you have symptoms of fatigue is your thyroid. That should be the first thing that anyone looks at,” Dr. Cwynar said.

Yet, she said that many doctors do not check and when they do it is too basic of a screening. She said that is why 50 percent of women with the problem are never diagnosed.

Dr. Cwynar advises to ask for a Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Test and any other tests relating to thyroid, including genetic ones.

“It is the God of your metabolism. Nothing else can function without your thyroid,” she said.

But Dr. Cwynar added that for the most part the doctor can step out and you can take control of fatigue on your own. You can start with your diet.

“Your hormones are highest in the morning. You need to eat to support those hormones,” Dr. Cwynar said.

She recommends protein for breakfast, but said to avoid soy products and empty calories found in white foods, like breads, rice and pastas. She also said to stay away from anything containing aspartame, because she said it can cause inflammation in your gut and lead to weight gain.

More weight equals more fatigue, according to Dr. Cwynar.

“We have to eliminate that from our diet,” she said.

To revive yourself – get sleep. She recommends seven to eight hours a night, keeping your room at 68 degrees or below for deep sleep.

She said to be consistent, and try to go to bed at the same time every night.

Speaking of the bedroom, supercharge your sexuality too.

“Sex is important for energy,” she said.

There is plenty of research that suggests sex stimulates endorphins and brings circulation and oxygen to the body – just to name a few benefits.

“All of our hormones being at their peak in the morning, I recommend as much sex as you can have, but also in the morning,” Dr. Cwynar said.

“My husband will be happy about this,” said Wright who likes what she sees with The Fatigue Solution.

“Sign me up, I told you, now,” she said.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

» More About The Fatigue Solution
» Herbal Remedies
» Read Excerpts From The Fatigue Solution

Vincent Porpiglia, the inventor of Dream Water, said it was his own sleepless nights that gave him his eureka moment.

“I was just thinking about energy drinks and how successful they were becoming and there’s tons of sleeping pills but there is no sleeping drinks, so that sparked an idea,” said Porpiglia.

Dream Water advertises itself as an answer to those restless souls who have trouble shutting down at the end of the day.

“It’s the first water that helps you relax and go to sleep,” explained Porpiglia. “It’s a product that’s relevant for today’s world where everyone is going 100 miles an hour. Work hours are getting even longer. People are stressed out from the economy and a million other things.”

We asked a local police officer, a mother and an investigator who suffered from insomnia to test Dream Water for three nights. The results were mixed.

Sgt. Henry Guzman said, ”It immediately relaxed me. Next day, I felt refreshed no issues at all.”

Karen Guzman, a mother of four and a dental hygenist, also tried it. “I took it not expecting anything at all because it didn’t taste like it would do anything. Within a half an hour I was feeling just nice and relaxed and like I could fall asleep.”

Babette Rox, an investigator for local law enforcement had something different to say about Dream Water. ”I did notice on the evenings that I drank the Dream Water that I was restless.”

While this product may promise to cut the sheep out of sleepless nights, others like Florida sleep specialist, Dr. James Kraisen, believe this product to be a temporary fix to a bigger problem.

He told CBS4′s Vanessa Borge, “Most sleep supplements people take without evaluating their sleep and that’s a problem. If someone has a specific problem with their sleep, sleep supplements do not overcome that problem.”

According to Dr. Krainsen, the way our body reacts at night is due to what we put into it during the day.

“Someone has a bad night’s sleep which can  happen to any of us. What do they do the next day? They drink a half a pot of coffee. Well they suddenly have a lot of caffeine so they  don’t fall asleep that night. So they’re tired the next day. They drink more coffee,” explained Krainsen.

To Dr. Krainsen, a sleep supplement like Dream Water is not the first think to look to for more sleep.

“If the underlying problem is that you’re taking too many energy drinks, you should probably cut down. If the underlying problem is you’re not getting enough sleep at night, you should probably get more sleep. If the underlying problem is your sleep is of poor quality, you should see someone,” said Krainsen.

Vanessa, who said she likes to exercise at night, only a couple of hours before bedtime said she’s seen an increase in her sleepless nights because her body hasn’t had time to relax, post workout. She said changing her schedule would help her get a good nights sleep.

You should always check your daily grind before taking something for those treasured “Zs.”

He created a unique health and fitness plan that helps people struggling with weight to get back on track. But the big question is does it work?

Mother of three Jill O’Malley wanted to make a change to her health and lifestyle so she decided to try the www.Getontrackfitness.com plan created by David DiPlasquale out of Coconut Creek.

The lifestyle and nutrition coach knows all too well about losing weight and changing your life. He was once obese as a child and even bullied for his appearance. So, he dedicated his life to health and fitness. Not only did he transform his body, but he has now transformed the lives of thousands across South Florida.

“I’ve always had a little to lose; nothing that I thought was any major weight loss. I never have been extremely obese,” said Jill O’Malley.

DiPlasquale said following his plan can lead to success, “There’s no plateau in this plan. It’s learning how to eat the rest of your life, keeping your metabolism alive. But we are brainwashed in this country to eat less and exercise more.”

His Get On Track Fitness plan requires that you workout only one hour a day on the treadmill.

“We have to monitor our heart rate which our heart is the most important muscle in the body. If we monitor these basic principles, we will be successful,” said DiPlasquale.

In his plan, he lays everything out for you and snaps a picture of you every eight weeks to show your progress.

Jill wasn’t too happy with her first pictures.

“It wasn’t true, no, I thought that wasn’t me,” said Jill when she first saw her pictures.

CBS4’s Jawan Strader could totally relate to Jill O’Malley.

In his first pictures, his gut was hanging over his shorts that barely fit and he had love handles popping out everywhere. Jawan never imagined that he could look this bad. H, like millions of Americans, struggled with his weight and needed help, so he decided to try the Get On Track Fitness program as well.

Following Jill O’Malley’s journey, her starting weight was 140 pounds at 50 percent body fat. Her goal, to lose 30 pounds and gain muscle.

The program requires you eat every two to three hours.

“When I looked at it, I thought you have to eat three hours a day, every three hours you’re eating and he said it’s going to speed up your metabolism and I thought, I just like to eat two times a day, I don’t need to eat five times a day,” said O’Malley.

After following the plan for almost a year, Jill is barely recognizable to her friends and family.

She has lost 52 pounds of total fat and gained 29 pounds of muscle by using a treadmill and eating right.

“It’s been the best thing I’ve ever done. I’ve never felt better in my life,” said O’Malley.

Jawan agrees, “I’ve lost more than 70 pounds of total fat and gained close to 50 pounds of muscle thanks to a unique plan by this South Floridian bullied for being obese as a child,” said Jawan.

DiPlasquale said, “That’s what I live for. I live for the fact that I’m changing people’s lives.”

Click here for more information about the Get On Track Fitness Program.

David DiPlasquale of Coconut Creek battled obesity and bullying as a child. But he changed his life and has now created a program to help kids, men and women to lose weight and get back on track.

“I was always tormented for being overweight,” said DiPlasquale.

He keeps old pictures of himself as a reminder of what he used to look like as a kid.

“I really didn’t care at that young of an age, but it was in the back of my mind that I really didn’t like being overweight, but boy, I really enjoyed eating those foods,” said DiPlasquale.

Growing up, DiPlasquale remembers being picked on his size.

“Always bullied, yeah. There was always someone doing something not nice to me. And my nickname because I’m DiPlasquale, I was Depot. Depot meaning a large individual.”

DiPlasquale is no longer looked at as “depot” for his size. He used the nickname and bullying as fuel to work and study health and fitness to change his body. He would go on to win body building competition after competition. His trophies and pictures are reminders of his own personal journey and rewards of overcoming obesity.

“I was powerless you know, when I was struggling trying to figure things out. But with my brain and studying and taking in information from everywhere that I learned, I gave myself empowerment, I studied nutrition on my own, plus what I learned and created the most amazing way to get in shape,” said DiPlasquale.

His plan is called “Get On Track Fitness” and it has changed the lives of thousands of people especially kids who, like him, battle weight issues. “

“I’m trying to help young kids in schools now that was like I was when I was a kid. Changing lives, I mean crazy changing lives of young and old people that are retiring getting healthy,” said DiPlasquale.

DiPlasquale’s program includes a unique nutritional routine that doesn’t require the person to stop eating tasty food.

“It’s effortless, it’s just a plan of action,” said DiPlasquale. “There’s a science to it that I studied. But every year, I refined and refined how to get in better shape without feeling restricted in foods that we should be eating.”

His plan does require exercise of at least an hour a day walking on the treadmill up and down an incline. And it’s a program DiPlasquale believes anyone can transform their body no matter what age.

“You have to be dedicated to change your life. The older you get, the harder it is to accept change. But if you do accept change, behind change is hidden opportunity and this is where we are successful.”

University of Miami President Donna Shalala announced the cuts in a letter to employees on Tuesday.

In the letter, Shalala said the reductions are necessary because of a number of “unprecedented factors”, like the economic downturn of 2008, decreased state and federal funding for research and clinical care and tightening within the health insurance industry. She also said “UM is not immune from the financial struggles of our partners at Jackson Memorial Hospital.”

She said the Jackson Health System reductions have affected the school’s finances.

CBS4 News partner The Miami Herald reports Jackson Health, which has lost $419 million the past three years, cut its payments to the university by $16 million this year.

“With these challenges in mind,” Shalala wrote, “the Miller School is making changes to ensure it continues to achieve its mission of providing the highest quality health care, research and education. Changes will include a significant reduction in costs, including staffing. Reductions will not impact clinical care or our patients and will primarily focus on unfunded research and administrative areas.”

Shalala said the cuts will come in May. She did not provide details about how many employees may be laid off.

One Miami Beach woman experienced the problem first hand when she reached for her prescription in the middle of the night and realized it wasn’t hers.

Tatiana Alder was recently diagnosed with asthma. She’s uses an inhaler so she can breathe.

“I went to CVS to get my inhaler,” explained Tatiana. She left her prescription in the bag and put it near her bed. “The next day during the night I had an attack during the night. I reached to get the inhaler and then when I opened it I got a packet that supposed to go to another person.”

She woke up her husband Nate.

“I went to get the bag with the medication in there from the pharmacy, and instead of an inhaler we find a bottle of pills with somebody else’s name on it,” exclaimed Nate who was terrified.

Finding the miscellaneous pills instead of her inhaler made him furious. Tatiana was gasping for air.

“I was like okay, I need to breath and I don’t have my medication what do I need to do,” said Tatiana.

Nate called the pharmacy and asked them to bring over the right medication. They said they don’t offer that service.

Hours later, the Adlers were able to get the inhaler from a different location and Tatiana was okay.

“Thankfully she’s ok, but I was terrified for my life at that point,” her husband said.

CBS4 News contacted the CVS on Harding in Surfside just south of the shops at Bal Harbor. They admitted to the mistake and offered this statement:

“The health and safety of our customers is our number one priority and we sincerely apologize for giving Mrs. Alder a prescription that did not belong to her. When we were alerted to this mistake our pharmacist contacted her immediately to apologize, check on her health condition, and make arrangements for her to receive a new asthma inhaler, free of charge.”

“My husband was the one who called them up. They didn’t call because they realized anything,” said Tatiana.

The statement goes on to say: “It appears that our procedures to verify the identity of a patient before dispensing their prescription were not properly followed during the checkout process we have followed up with our staff to prevent this from happening again.”

As of last year the state of Florida put new measures in place to require more training of pharmacy technicians and more procedures to prevent mix ups yet the standards are not an assurance and the problem is not just in Florida. Just last month the State Attorneys general office in New Jersey began a preliminary investigation into a CVS pharmacy in that state. Reports show kids who were suppose to get fluoride pills were given tamoxifen pills to treat breast cancer.

These serious mix ups with serious consequences troubled Tatiana.

“That’s pretty scary they make mistakes like that.”

The Alders hope everyone will learn to double check their prescriptions when they pick them up. As far as the CVS on Harding is concerned, the Adlers said they won’t use that pharmacy anymore.

Little is known about Fragile X syndrome, but Michelle Kaplan, mother to Matthew, 7, and 5 year old Calentcito’s mom Vanessa Chartouni de la Serna have teamed up to make a difference.

Their sons are both at a special school for kids with Fragile X syndrome.

“It absolutely affect every single day,” said Kaplan.

Fragile X is a neuro-developmental disorder that affects cognitive skills, a child’s behavior, speech, and senses.  It’s the only known genetic cause of autism.  Thirty percent of kids with Fragile X have autism.

Calencito was diagnosed at 15 months, and Matthew at 13 months.  The big signs for them were developmental and speech delay.

“At first I was devastated, scarred, confused and anxious to learn more,” Vanessa Chartouni de la Serna said.

“Everywhere I turned there were no answers just more and more questions,”   Kaplan said.

Women who carry the disorder can be tested before or while they’re pregnant. Symptoms include early menopause and problems with fertility.

If you are pregnant you often have to make a special request for the testing.

The goal of Chartouni de la Serna and Kaplan is to raise awareness for more research and a better life for their children. Four years ago, they started an organization for families affected by Fragile X syndrome. There are now 60 families in the group.

“One day I won’t be here and need to know he can be cared for,” Kaplan said.

Click Here for more information.

The Florida Department of Health reported Wednesday that 15 cases had been reported in Miami-Dade and four cases had been reported in Monroe County. Over the weekend, Broward County’s health department reported four confirmed cases; three school age children and one adult.

The DOH urges parents, childcare workers and healthcare providers to verify the children they care for are properly immunized against pertussis, a respiratory disease more commonly known as whooping cough.

Since January, numerous counties in Florida have seen a spike in whooping cough cases. That’s also in line with outbreaks that have been happening in multiple states across the countries.

Most cases of whooping cough impact children, but adults have also been known to contract the disease. The disease is highly contagious and targets the respiratory system.

Most people develop symptoms of whooping cough in a week to 10 days after being exposed. But, the disease can lie dormant for a long as six weeks before beginning to affect someone.

The symptoms usually begin with cold-like symptoms and can also include a mild cough or fever. After a week or two, severe coughing can begin. The severe coughing fits can be followed by vomiting.

Whooping cough is the most dangerous for babies. In an infant, the cough can be minimal or not present, but the disease can cause babies to stop breathing. The disease is treated with antibiotics.
Whooping cough vaccines are given to adults when requested and are part of the normal vaccines children get. You can still get the disease even if you are vaccinated, but the infection is usually much less severe.

A new kind of potato chip can give you the same buzz you’d get from energy drinks and they look and crunch the like any other chip.

In addition to potato’s salt and spices, they have B vitamins, caffeine and taurine, an ingredient commonly found in energy drinks.

“I think they’re trying to target the young those who are athletic or wish to be,” said Jo Ann Hattner, a nutritionist who is surprised to hear of yet another energy product.

Hattner questions whether coating potato chips with energy supplements really give you much of a boost.

“It’s what I call an image food. 70 milligrams of caffeine is really not that much, you might get that in a shot of espresso,” said Hattner.

With espresso you’d get fewer calories. The Arma energy chips, for example, come with 70 milligrams of caffeine and 290 calories. Compare that to a can of Red bull which has 80 milligrams for 110 calories. A shot of espresso offers the same boost with only 5 calories. So gram for gram, if you are watching your weight, this product may not be for you.

“We strive for whole foods as much as possible that would give the most energy over a sustained period of time,” said personal trainer Elizabeth Bachrad.

But just because they’re not for the health conscious doesn’t mean they are not for people looking for a tasty treat with a bit of a boost.

However, the product is not recommended for pregnant women and children.

Last June doctors told Fields she had a large brain aneurysm, which is the bulging of a blood vessel, behind her eye.

“What ran through my mind is that it could break and I could die. That’s what went through my mind,” said Fields.

For four months, the 72-year old woman waited in fear for her life because doctors said she could bleed to death if the aneurysm ruptured.

Given Bernadette’s family history, she had reason to worry.

“Well my father had an aneurysm,” she explained. “He died from one.”

Fields got good news from Dr. Ali Sultan, a neurosurgeon at Jackson Memorial Hospital, when he told her about a new FDA approved Pipeline Embolization Device.

It’s a small mesh tube inserted through an artery in the leg and threaded to the area in the brain where the aneurysm is located.

“We’re able to treat aneurysms that we’ve never been able to treat in a short amount of time and in a very safe manner,” explained Dr. Sultan.

Fields is the first patient to have the procedure performed at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

In photos shown at a news conference at JMH Wednesday, the aneurysm was bulging prior to the procedure. After the procedure, the bulge was gone.

“What this does is it allows the aneurysm to shrink over time,” said Dr. Sultan.

The worry is over for this hardworking waitress. Now she’ll continue living her life to the fullest.

“She’s pretty lucky that we’re able to treat this with this type of stent because her particular case was more dangerous than the average aneurysm in that area,” said Dr. Sultan.

Jackson is just one of 30 hospitals nationwide now performing this newly approved procedure.

“Disease can go to the kidneys and the heart and the brain and really cause a lot of damage,” explained Dr. Jan Bellows of the American Veterinary Dental College.

Experts say brushing is best, but that can be difficult for many dogs.

“It’s kind of a problem where she has such a small mouth. It’s tough to get a brush in there,” said dog owner Lori Macaione.

Your vet can help, but dental cleanings can require general anesthesia, which can be expensive.

There are a number of dental products available at pet stores to help owners keep their pets teeth healthy, but according to Dr. Bellows, they don’t always deliver on what they promise.

“A lot of times the product will say it will do something, but there’s no research that shows it actually will,” he said.

The Food and Drug Administration regulates medical claims made on some pet products, but unless the item contains a drug or promises to cure a disease, experts say it is up to consumers to figure out what works and what doesn’t.

According to Dr. Bellows, some products designed to remove plaque may actually hurt a dog’s teeth.

“Because they’re too hard to chew on,” he said.

The Veterinary Oral Health Council is a scientist-run group that reviews research submitted by manufacturers and awards a seal of approval to products that work.

“Look on the back of the container and look for a Veterinary Oral Health Council Seal. If you see one it’s a product considered safe and effective,” said Dr. Bellows. “These are products that have been shown to be effective by independent studies, research that shows they will control plaque and will control tartar.”

The VOHC reviews research submitted by manufacturers. Only 29 products have the seal so far. So if you’re wondering if your pet needs the proper help for their teeth, the breath will tell you.

“If your pet’s breath doesn’t smell like roses, there’s a problem,” said Dr. Bellows.

Brushing a dog’s teeth may be tricky, but experts say if you start them young, many will become more tolerant. It is cheaper than using special products or going to the vet and it will keep them healthier.

Click here for a current list of approved products.

Ivana Feldmeier’s eight year old son Frederich has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

He was diagnosed in 2010 after Feldmeier noticed he was having problems in school.

“I had concern cause he wasn’t improving in his learning.”

She brought him to psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Bober and learned the foods her son was eating could be making his condition worse.

“We know that certain chemicals that are synthetic, whether they’re dyes or whether they’re things in the environment, can sometimes cause behavioral symptoms. And a lot of the research shows recently that these food dyes may be exacerbating or producing ADHD symptoms,” said Dr. Bober.

The dyes of concern are Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6.  You can find it in some macaroni and cheese products, Doritos, Goldfish crackers, M&Ms, Kool-Aid, fruit punch, bubble gums and the list goes on.  Researchers say the yellow dyes deplete zinc levels enough in some kids to cause hyperactivity.  The Red 40 may lead to temper tantrums, aggressive behavior, fidgeting, anxiety, and inability to concentrate. Nausea and headaches are also common.

In Europe, foods with synthetic dyes carry a warning label.  That tactic is not used in the U.S., but is currently being researched.

The FDA took a hard look at this last spring.  They did say food dye could affect kids like Fredereich who already have ADHD, but they decided not to put warning labels on food because the topic still needs more research.

“I am telling them my patients that they should be aware that this data is out there and that food dyes may be exacerbating ADHD symptoms. Before they put their kids on drugs that they may want to consider a restriction diet and eliminate these food dyes to see if the symptoms could be treated that way before using medication,” said Bober.

It may be as easy as taking a fresh look at the past.  The Paleo Diet, or the caveman diet, means eating and acting like a caveman. To sustain the diet, you can only eat things you gather, hunt or pick.

Pinecrest resident Thad Foot, 38, said the diet gives him strength to do stand up paddle boarding.

“I want to get stronger,” he said.

Tara Grant, 37, did the same diet for a different reason.

“I had polycystic ovarian syndrome,” said Grant. “Now, it’s gone.  I had endometriosis. Now it’s gone!”

At 250 pounds she also had an extra 100 pounds on her.  That’s gone too for this primal girl in a modern world.  She’s followed the Paleo Diet for two years.  Her goal is to stay fit.

Foot’s goal is to stay strong and by this spring be able to paddle board from Bimini, in the Bahamas to Miami.

The two went back in time and started eating and exercising like cavemen.  Foot made it easier for himself and put an entire garden in his backyard so that all that good food could be readily available.

The do’s on the diet: fruits, veggies, nuts, berries, meats.  The don’ts on the diet: rice, pasta, bread, anything processed, junk food.

All this was discussed among the hundreds of researchers, scientists, doctors and nutritionists from around the world who discussed the Paleo Movement.

At a sold out symposium in California the focus was Ancestral health.  The ides is that our DNA has changed little since the late Paleolithic Era.  That means our bodies are better suited from prehistoric, not modern times.

Mark Sisson, the author of the book “The Primal Blueprint” said, “We are hunters, gatherers, living in the twenty first century with all this technology and we don’t know what to do with it.”

The mismatch could explain why we have so many complex degenerative disorders including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and so much more.

A team of doctors at the Holtz Children’s Hospital studied Bushi’s genetic composition and discovered she had an extremely rare condition called W.R.S or Wolcott-Rallison Syndrome. It is an illness that has killed just about every child that has it. But Bushi could beat it thanks to a quadruple transplant surgery that doctors performed on her, the first of its kind surgery ever done in the world.

“This is a miracle what they did to her and save her life,” said Valbona Bushi, Angela’s mother. “So I really appreciate it. All the doctors, they did the best job ever.”

Wolcott-Rallison Syndrome claimed the life of Angela’s infant sister, Lisa, after it went undiagnosed. Valbona Bushi said she pleaded with doctors in her hometown of Jacksonville to dig deeper and investigate. She said she knew something was wrong with Lisa’s organs but medical experts didn’t believe her until she came to the Holtz Children’s Hospital in Miami. That’s where genetics specialist Dr. Olaf Bodamer discovered the unusual genetic condition in Angela.

“It’s a very rare genetic syndrome. Last count in the medical literature last night was 82. So 82 published cases,” said Dr. Bodamer. “I think there are many more cases that go unreported and there are probably more cases that go undiagnosed. But still in 15 years of doing genetics in pediatrics and adult medicine I’ve never encountered a case before.”

Once diagnosed the team of surgeons strategized what to do about it. They decided to give Angela a new liver, pancreas and two kidneys, a total reconstruction of the child’s abdomen that left most of the old organs in tact as well.

“By replacing these organs, Angela is protected from liver failure and kidney failure,” said Dr. Andreas Tzakis, Director of surgery.

After 14 hours in surgery the team breathed a sigh of relief.

“We have a guarded optimism for Angela,” said Dr. Tzakis.

He said she can play and have fun like other six year olds. But she needs to stay away from children with viruses and infections as her little body continues to heal. Angela has an oxygen tube in her nose. Doctors said they don’t expect that she will need other surgeries in the future.

Imagine living with clutter, trash, filth and, in some cases, rodent infestation. These are the homes of hoarders, as seen on popular TV shows. There’s tons of clutter that can fuel a small fire into a raging inferno, like it did inside one Phoenix home.

In Minneapolis, a woman barely escaped her cluttered house alive when fire broke out. In Charlotte, one hoarder died when firefighters couldn’t even get inside his home to rescue him.

It’s a mental disorder affecting as many as six million Americans. A Maryland woman who asked to be identified only as “Amanda” is one of them.

“I was obsessed with this,” “Amanda” said.

For 15 years, “Amanda” filled up her home with things her neighbors threw in the trash.

“Books, ,boxes, stuffed animals, newspapers, magazines, clothing, paper. A lot of paper,” she said. “I would think to myself, `Wow, I cannot believe people are actually throwing out these perfectly good, wonderful things.’”

So many things became piled up, her home became a health and a fire hazard.

“Someone came in and said `You must clear this out or you will be evicted,’” she said.

Eviction, family disputes, shame and isolation are often the side effects of hoarding. So why do people do it?

“It’s definitely in the realm of psychiatric conditions,” said psychologist Dr. Gregory Chasson.

Chasson points to recent studies by Johns Hopkins University researchers, which found hoarding may be as much biological as it is psychological.

“Research suggests that there is a genetic component,” Chasson said.

“I’ve come to learn very shockingly my father was stashing and storing everything, either in storage in his building or closets,” “Amanda” said. “I didn’t go out seeking the help; it was my family that brought the help into me.”

Cognitive behavioral therapist Andrea Batton worked with “Amanda” for five years, helping clear her clutter while treating her underlying psychological issues.

“It’s very hard. It’s a very, very difficult process,” Batton said.

Difficult but rewarding. Her shame is now gone, replaced by a determination not to let her home return to the health hazard still facing millions of hoarders.

Batton says while the progress is profound, it is the result of a lot of hard work.

To learn more about the International Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation, click here.

It’s possible, and it’s not a growth spurt. A new medical advancement that is lengthening people’s legs and it’s done right here in South Florida.

Two kinds of people get their limbs lengthened; one is often a child who suffers from some form of dwarfism. The other is a perfectly healthy able–bodied, average-sized individual getting a major surgery simply for cosmetic reasons.

Recovery for Kenny Zaidner is intense. Watching a session may make you feel uncomfortable but for this South Florida teenager, the pain is worth it.

At 14, this is Kenny’s second surgery to grow taller and correct a form of Dwarfism. After the first surgery two years ago, Zaidner grew 4 inches taller.

“This is what’s making me grow and going make my life much better,” said Zaidner as he pointed to two devices piercing his skin and screwed into his thigh bone.

The device, called fixitures, are attached through the skin to a bone after it’s broken. It literally pulls that bone apart lengthening the leg up to six inches at a time.

“You are really changing their lives, improving their function and doing things they were never able to do before,” said Dr. Dror Paley, founder of The Paley Institute.

But this medical marvel is now even more miraculous. Dr. Paley, who practices at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, has developed a new way to extend limbs without any exterior device.

“I am having leg lengthening done,” said one of the first ever patients undergoing this new kind of procedure.

The man doesn’t want to be identified because this healthy able-bodied 30-something is not lengthening for medical reasons, but for purely cosmetic ones.

In the end he is looking to gain two inches and go from 5′ 8″ tall to 5′ 10″.

For that growth, the man underwent surgery to implant a telescopic metal rod, called a Precise Nail, inside his thigh bone. The rod expands inside a person’s body much like an expandable shower curtain.  The rods are held in place by two screws at the top and two at the bottom.

“It is going to have a very positive consequence on my life,” said the man to CBS 4’s Jorge Estevez.

How does it work? A machine provides magnetic energy and causes the gears inside the rod implanted in his thigh bone to stretch.

“Without penetrating the skin, just remotely from the outside, we can make it lengthened and shorten at any speed we want,” said Dr. Paley.

For seven minutes a day, this procedure grows the leg by a millimeter. The man elected to pay to have the surgery. The procedure costs $85,000.

“There is cosmetic procedures done. Women get them done. Guys get them done. It is not any different,” said the man.

And while the internal precise nail is available for adults, It has not yet been adapted for children like Zaidner who will be attending physical therapy for another few weeks.

Zaidner and his parents are debating a third surgery that will get him to 5′ 6″ tall.

The goal is to have the internal precise nail be fitted for children but the fact that they are still growing makes it a challenge.

The procedure is covered by insurance if in fact the patient suffers from a medical condition like dwarfism.

A budget deal reached Sunday night will limit the number of times Medicaid beneficiaries can see general physicians per month, according to the News Service of Florida.

The details of the deal have not been released, but the budget deal predicted a savings of $3.3 million by limiting doctor visits. An earlier House proposal would have limited the number of non-pregnant adult visits to just two a month, according to the NSF.

It’s the second cut in benefits for Medicaid beneficiaries during the current Legislative session. Previously, negotiators limited the number of emergency room visits to six a year in order to save approximately $46 million, according to the News Service of Florida.

Critics say the limits could force Medicaid patients to seek help through emergency room visits that can’t be paid for and thus send the cost back to insured patients in higher benefit costs.

“I just figured I was doing the best thing for myself, for my skin, and I was harming myself,” said skincare user Angela Velencis.

Velencis said the more products she used, the worse her skin got!

“There are really 2 major problems,” said plastic surgeon Dr. Matthew Schulman. “Using inappropriate products and the other which is more common which is using the correct product but using it the wrong way”

Valencis was overusing products which irritated her skin. She also did serious damage by overusing a cleansing brush.

“If you have scratches in the skin it leads to irritation inflammation which in turn can clog pores give you blemishes,” said Dr. Schulman.

Some people thinking using the product more is better, but doctors say that is not the case.

Marsha Edelman used too much moisturizer which clogged pores under her eyes.

“I never breakout but if its a little red then it is the product I am using,” said Edelman.

Dr. Debra Jaliman suggested Edelman stop using everything she had.

“Even if the product says using sparingly, people use a heavy hand because they think they will get a better result,” said Dr. Jaliman.

Experts say follow package directions, and if there’s redness or tingling or other irritations, stop using it immediately.

“Anything that’s causing me a problem I’m dumping,” said Edelman.

Doctors recommend trying one product at a time, and sparingly.

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What is laparoscopic surgery?

Laparoscopic or “minimally invasive” surgery is a specialized technique for performing surgery. In the past, this technique was commonly used for gynecologic surgery and for gall bladder surgery. Over the last 10 years the use of this technique has expanded into intestinal surgery. In traditional “open” surgery the surgeon uses a single incision to enter into the abdomen. Laparoscopic surgery uses several 0.5-1cm incisions. Each incision is called a “port.” At each port a tubular instrument known as a trochar is inserted. Specialized instruments and a special camera known as a laparoscope are passed through the trochars during the procedure. At the beginning of the procedure, the abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide gas to provide a working and viewing space for the surgeon. The laparoscope transmits images from the abdominal cavity to high-resolution video monitors in the operating room. During the operation the surgeon watches detailed images of the abdomen on the monitor. This system allows the surgeon to perform the same operations as traditional surgery but with smaller incisions.

In certain situations a surgeon may choose to use a special type of port that is large enough to insert a hand. When a hand port is used the surgical technique is called “hand assisted” laparoscopy. The incision required for the hand port is larger than the other laparoscopic incisions, but is usually smaller than the incision required for traditional surgery.

What are the advantages of laparoscopic surgery?

Compared to traditional open surgery, patients often experience less pain, a shorter recovery, and less scarring with laparoscopic surgery.
What kinds of operations can be performed using laparoscopic surgery?

Most intestinal surgeries can be performed using the laparoscopic technique. These include surgery for Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, cancer, rectal prolapse and severe constipation.

In the past there had been concern raised about the safety of laparoscopic surgery for -cancer operations. Recently several studies involving hundreds of patients have shown that laparoscopic surgery is safe for certain ¬colorectal cancers.

How safe is laparoscopic surgery?

Laparoscopic surgery is as safe as traditional open surgery. At the beginning of a laparoscopic operation the laparoscope is inserted through a small incision near the belly button (umbilicus). The surgeon initially inspects the abdomen to determine whether laparoscopic surgery may be safely performed. If there is a large amount of inflammation or if the surgeon encounters other factors that prevent a clear view of the structures the surgeon may need to make a larger incision in order to complete the operation safely.

Any intestinal surgery is associated with ¬certain risks such as complications related anesthesia and bleeding or infectious complications. The risk of any operation is determined in part by the nature of the specific operation. An individual’s general heath and other medical conditions are also factors that affect the risk of any operation. You should discuss with your surgeon your individual risk for any operation.

To find a Colon and Rectal Surgeon near you please visit www.fascrs.org.

© 2008 American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons

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By Andrew Spiegel, Esquire
Chief Executive Officer, Colon Cancer Alliance

When is the last time you talked about colon cancer? It’s a disease no one wants to talk about, yet it is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. A lot of work has gone into bringing awareness to this disease, but because it deals with part of the body that our society is uncomfortable talking about, many suffer needlessly because they postponed a colonoscopy or neglected it altogether.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and a great opportunity to openly discuss the disease and learn how we can prevent it. Understanding risk factors, symptoms, and screening options will not only help in avoiding the disease, but could mean the difference between life and death.

Many believe that if they have no symptoms, they are in the clear, but this kind of thinking can be deadly. Colon cancer most often has no symptoms until it has already progressed to later stages, making it much more difficult to treat. The good news is that a routine colonoscopy every 10 years starting at age 50 for most individuals could help save thousands of lives in this country every year because polyps can be found and removed before they have a chance to turn into cancer.

It is important to realize that colon cancer doesn’t just affect those over the age of 50 nor does it affect just men. In fact, statistics show that colon cancer affects both genders equally. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 150,000 people will be diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer this year with women accounting for 70,000 new cases. Everyone should be aware of the risk factors. Knowing your family health history is imperative. If someone in your family battled colon cancer OR had colon polyps, you probably need to be screened earlier and should talk to your doctor right away. Also, if you suffer from Crohn’s Disease, ulcerative colitis or Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS), you are at an increased risk of developing this disease.

The results of screening are undeniable. Screening can reduce colon cancer deaths by up to 90%. Colon cancer is one of the most preventable diseases and is a very curable cancer…if it’s caught early. Sadly, too many cases are diagnosed in the later stages of the disease when treatment is challenging.

The Colon Cancer Alliance is working hard to change the way people talk about colon cancer, encouraging frank and open discussions at events across the country. On March 2nd, Dress in Blue Day will sweep across the nation, uniting survivors and families and spreading the message that this is a disease we can do something about – if we take action and get screened. Why blue? Much like the pink ribbon for breast cancer, the blue star of hope is the universal symbol for colon cancer. Participants in the Dress in Blue Day program spearhead educational and fundraising events in their offices, schools and communities.

One in 19 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer, but you have the power to change that by starting a simple conversation with your family and friends and making sure you’re taking care of YOU. But I hope you won’t stop there. If you’d like to join the fight against this disease, the Colon Cancer Alliance has a multitude of volunteer opportunities. Please visit www.ccalliance.org to find out how you can help.

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Andrew Spiegel is the Chief Executive Officer of the Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA), the leading national patient advocacy organization dedicated to increasing screening rates and survivorship. The CCA provides hope and support to patients and their families, while saving lives through screening, access, awareness, advocacy and research.

To learn more, visit www.ccalliance.org.

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In many cases, colorectal cancer can be prevented. Still, it’s one of the 5 most common cancers in men and women in the United States. Colorectal cancer is also one of the leading causes of cancer death in the United States. Don’t let these 5 common myths stop you from getting the lifesaving tests you need, when you need them.

Myth: Colorectal cancer is a man’s disease.

Truth: Colorectal cancer is just as common among women as men. Each year, about 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and about 50,000 die from the disease.

Myth: Colorectal cancer cannot be prevented.

Truth: In many cases colorectal cancer can be prevented. Colorectal cancer almost always starts with a small growth called a polyp. If the polyp is found early, doctors can remove it and stop colorectal cancer before it starts. These tests can find polyps: double contrast barium enema, flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy).

To help lower your chances of getting colorectal cancer:

• Get to and stay at a healthy weight.
• Be physically active.
• Eat a diet with a lot of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and less red or processed meat.
• Limit the amount of alcohol you drink.
• Don’t use tobacco in any form.

Myth: African Americans are not at risk for colorectal cancer.

Truth: African-American men and women are diagnosed with and die from colorectal cancer at higher rates than men and women of any other US racial or ethnic group. The reason for this is not yet understood.

Myth: Age doesn’t matter when it comes to getting colorectal cancer.

Truth: More than 90% of all colorectal cancers are found in people who are 50 and older. For this reason, the American Cancer Society recommends you start getting checked for this cancer when you are 50. People who are at a higher risk for colorectal cancer — such as those who have colon or rectal cancer in their families — may need to begin testing when they are younger. Ask your doctor when you should start getting tested.

Myth: It’s better not to get tested for colorectal cancer because it’s deadly anyway.

Truth: Colorectal cancer is often highly treatable. If it is found and treated early (while it is small and before it has spread), the 5-year survival rate is about 90%. But because many people are not getting tested, only about 4 out of 10 are diagnosed at this early stage when treatment is most likely to be successful.

To find out if you are at an increased risk for colorectal cancer and what you can do to try to keep from getting this disease, please read Colorectal Cancer Early Detection.

Last Medical Review: 05/10/2011
Last Revised: 05/10/2011

Learn more about colon cancer at cancer.org/colon.

© American Cancer Society

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Why should there be a postoperative follow-up program?

Surgery is the most effective treatment for colorectal cancer. Even when all visible cancer has been removed, it is possible for cancer cells to be present in other areas of the body. These cancer deposits, when very small, are undetectable at the time of surgery, but they can begin to grow at a later time. The chance of recurrence depends on the characteristics of the original cancer and the effectiveness of chemotherapy, if needed, or other follow up treatment. Patients with recurrent cancers – if diagnosed early – may benefit, or be cured, by further surgery or other treatment.

Another good reason for postoperative follow up is to look for new colon or rectal polyps. Approximately one in five patients who has had colon cancer will develop a new polyp at a later time in life. It is important to detect and remove these polyps before they become cancerous.

How long will my follow-up program last?

Most recurrent cancers are detected within the first two years after surgery. Therefore, follow up is most frequent during this period of time. After five years, nearly all cancers that are going to recur will have done so. Follow up after five years is primarily to detect new polyps, and can, therefore, be less frequent but advisable for life.
What might I expect at my follow-up visit?

Your doctor will examine you approximately every two or three months for the first two years, and discuss your progress. A CEA blood test can be done, as a method of trying to detect recurrence of cancer. Because this test is not totally reliable, other follow up examinations may be advised. These examinations may include flexible sigmoidoscopy (an examination of the rectum and lower colon with a flexible, lighted instrument), colonoscopy (examination of the entire colon with a long flexible instrument), chest x-rays, and sometimes CT scans or ultrasound tests.

What about my family?

Close relatives of patients with colon and rectal cancer (parents, brothers, sisters, children) are at increased risk for the disease. Because of this, periodic examination of the lining of the colon, using a colonoscope to detect small polyps, is advised. If polyps are promptly detected and removed, cancers cannot develop. Other factors which increase the risk of developing polyps or cancer include cancer occurring at an early age, and a personal history of breast or female genital cancer.

To find a Colon and Rectal Surgeon near you please visit www.fascrs.org.

© 2008 American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons

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By Andrew Spiegel, Esquire
Chief Executive Officer, Colon Cancer Alliance

One in three people 50 years or older has not been screened for colon cancer, yet screening could help save their lives. This statistic is just one of the troubling findings of a national study by the Colon Cancer Alliance, the leading national patient advocacy organization dedicated to increasing screening rates and survivorship, and Quest Diagnostics, a leading diagnostic testing company. The two organizations recently teamed up to uncover the barriers that prevent people from being tested for colon cancer (also known as colorectal cancer), the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women in the U.S.

Screening by colonoscopy, fecal immunochemical tests and other methods help identify colon cancer in early stages when it is still highly treatable. For this reason, the American Cancer Society recommends screening for every man and woman of average risk, beginning at age 50. African Americans, smokers and anyone who has a family history or other risk factors should be tested even earlier. Yet, the Colon Cancer Alliance study found that many people 50 and over are not being screened. Moreover, the barriers to screening ranged from the lack of recommendation for screening by a healthcare professional to time and cost constraints. The study also suggested that fear of the bowel preparation, side effects and anesthesia typically associated with colonoscopy are additional barriers.

“Any death from colon cancer due to a failure to screen is a tragedy that could have been prevented,” said Andrew Spiegel, chief executive officer of the Colon Cancer Alliance. “I encourage people to talk to their health care providers about the importance of colon cancer screening, their risk factors for colon cancer, and the different screening tests available. With increased screening rates, deaths from colon cancer may one day be a thing of the past.”

Colon cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer deaths in America, and worldwide. About 50,000 Americans and over 600,000 people worldwide die each year from what is a very preventable disease. The Colon Cancer Alliance recently partnered with its European equivalent, EuropaColon to form an international colon cancer advocacy organization, Global Colon Cancer Alliance. The goal of the Global organization is to teach people worldwide how to advocate for colon cancer screening programs and share some of the successes learned in the US and Europe.

Colon cancer is the most preventable major cancer through screening. There are no excuses for not undergoing a simple screening test to prevent a very deadly disease which takes the life of an American every 9 minutes. We encourage all to talk to their doctor about whether a colon cancer screening test is appropriate for them. 1 in 19 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer, but you have the power to change that by starting a simple conversation with your family and friends and making sure you’re taking care of YOU. But I hope you won’t stop there. If you’d like to join the fight against this disease, the Colon Cancer Alliance has a multitude of volunteer opportunities. Please visit www.ccalliance.org to find out how you can help.

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Andrew Spiegel is the Chief Executive Officer of the Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA), the leading national patient advocacy organization dedicated to increasing screening rates and survivorship. The CCA provides hope and support to patients and their families, while saving lives through screening, access, awareness, advocacy and research.

To learn more, visit www.ccalliance.org.

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By Durado Brooks, MD, MPH

Embarrassing! Painful! Disgusting!!

These are some of the words that come to mind for lots of folks when they think about getting tested for colorectal cancer. Let’s face it – this involves a part of the body and bodily functions that people don’t talk about in polite conversation. Hopefully I can convince you that they (and you) need to get past this attitude and get on with testing.

Cancers of the colon and the rectum (the last sections of the digestive system) are extremely common. In fact, they’re the third most common cancer in US men and women. The good news is the rates of this disease have been falling steadily over the past 20 years, and a big part of the decrease is directly related to testing for colorectal cancer. You see, not only can testing help find the disease early, when it’s highly treatable, but testing can actually help to prevent the disease! That’s because most colorectal cancers start as a small, non-cancerous growth called a polyp. Finding and removing these polyps stops cancer before it starts.

You’d think that with these proven benefits people would be lining up to get tested – yet 4 out of every 10 adults who should get tested are missing out on this possibly life-saving opportunity. Why? There are a lot of myths about colorectal cancer that people use as excuses to avoid getting tested. The following are some of the myths about testing, as well as the facts people need to know.

Myth/Excuse: “No one in my family had colorectal cancer, so I don’t need to get tested.”

Fact: Most people who get colorectal cancer DO NOT have a family history of the disease. The most common reason for getting colorectal cancer is simply getting older. Risk starts to go up around age 50 and continues to rise for the rest of your life. If you have a family history of the disease your risk is even higher, but, family history or not, everyone 50 and older should get tested.

Myth/Excuse: “I’m not having any symptoms so I don’t need to worry.”

Fact: Many people who are diagnosed with colorectal cancer have no symptoms, and people with polyps rarely have symptoms. If you wait to get tested after symptoms develop you might miss the chance to prevent the disease or to find it before it grows and spreads.

Myth/Excuse: “If I have cancer there is nothing they can do about it, so why bother getting tested?”

Fact: Colorectal cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer. When the disease is found at an early stage (before it spreads outside of the colon) most people can be treated very successfully and go on to live long, full lives. Regular testing increases the chance that the disease will be found at this early, most treatable stage.

Myth/Excuse: “The tests are embarrassing and painful!”

Fact: There are actually a number of different tests for colorectal cancer. The most common tests are stool tests and the colonoscopy. Stool tests are used to look for small, invisible amounts of blood passed in a bowel movement that might indicate a polyp or cancer. These simple tests are performed in the privacy of your home. A colonoscopy is done by a specialist in a hospital or outpatient center. The test is done in a private room with no other patients around. A thin lighted tube is inserted into the rectum and allows the doctor to view the inner lining of your colon. Many people fear that this test will be painful. In fact, people who are having a colonoscopy are given medicine to help them relax; many people sleep through the exam.

Most of the complaints about colonoscopy actually are not about the test, but instead are about preparing for the test. In order for the doctor to get a good look at the colon lining the colon has to be cleaned out with strong laxatives, so people spend a lot of time in the bathroom during the evening before the test. This is not convenient and it’s not comfortable, but it’s a small price to pay for a test that may save your life.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness month. Take this opportunity to talk about it! If you haven’t been tested, talk to your doctor. If you’ve been tested, talk to your family and friends. Make sure they know the facts and encourage them to get tested. Accept No Excuses!

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Dr. Brooks is director of prostate and colorectal cancers for the American Cancer Society.

Get more insights from the experts at the American Cancer Society at cancer.org/expertvoices.

© American Cancer Society

But there are some women who are trying to avoid that fate using a pill derived from their own baby’s placenta.

Anne Ferguson, mother of two, is one of those women. She prepares placenta pills by boiling, slicing and dehydrating the placenta and then pureeing what’s left into a fine powder. The powder is capped in a small pill. This entire process is known as placenta encapsulation.

“So, what a lot of moms are choosing to do now is to take their placenta home after they have a new baby and have it prepared into these little capsules that they can then ingest,” Ferguson said.

The placenta is a temporary organ that connects a developing fetus to the uterine wall, via an umbilical cord, allowing for the baby to receive nutrients and other essential compounds from the mother. The placenta also releases oxytocin, a hormone that helps during birth.

Ferguson said putting those nutrients back into your body helps during the postpartum period, when fluctuating hormones can spark depression.

“Many mothers have found it gives them more energy, believed to help with milk supply, and increase your iron levels,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson began offering the service last year after she became what’s known as a doula, or birth coach.

“I just think it makes so much sense biologically. Almost all mammals eat their placenta right after they give birth,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson receives about 10 placentas a month from mostly first-time mothers, like Stephanie Johnson.

“I do feel it has helped,” said Stephanie Johnson, whose own mother and sister experienced postpartum depression. Unlike those women in her family, Johnson said she’s feeling happy and healthy at home with her baby.

The Federal Drug and Food Administration said it doesn’t keep tabs on the practice “given that human tissue is not food or a dietary ingredient and that it may transmit disease.”

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said it doesn’t have an opinion since it is a largely unregulated practice that has not been given much study.

OB/GYN Peter Weiss said he considers the practice dangerous.

“You can take the placenta home, there’s no problem with that, but ingesting it?” Weiss said.

“The placenta can contain many diseases, from bacterial infections, hepatitis, you name it, it can carry it,” said Weiss, adding, “And for somebody to think that they’re going to take it home, and just because it’s a natural product makes it’s safe, that’s absolutely wrong.”

Ferguson disagrees; continuing to offer the service she believes helps new mothers. She said she knows it’s not a magical solution to postpartum depression: “Placenta encapsulation is a small, one piece of the puzzle.”

She said one placenta usually produces approximately 120 pills, for a $150 fee.

Consuming the placenta is common in some cultures. The placenta pills cost on average $150-$300 in the U.S.

“I’m up all night coughing,” complained Luanne Johnstone as she sits in the emergency room at North Broward Medical Center.   “I got, like a real heavy chest and a headache.”

She has what so many people have, an annoying cough that just won’t stop.

Justin Wilson has the same problem.

“Basically every time I would take a deep breath and I coughed, Bam!  Headache,” said Wilson.

He’s in the emergency room with his parents after, what appeared to be the flu, turned into a nagging cough that wouldn’t quit.

“It’s horrible,” says his mom Carleine Romain.   “He still has this persistent dry cough which is very painful for him and it does not allow him to catch any sleep,” she said.  “So the worst part of this is he cannot sleep.”

That cough turned into pneumonia.

Dr. Nabil El Sanadi, the head of emergency medicine for Broward Health, told CBS4’s Ted Scouten that he is seeing a lot of patients with what appears to be the flu,who eventually are coughing up a storm days and sometimes weeks later.  For the most part, he said the worst is over in a day or two, but watch out for other complications.

“If things start getting a lot worse, high fevers, 102-103,” Dr. El Sanadi said. “If you start seeing a purulent discharge, yellow or green discharge from either the lungs or the nose, that may be a sign that you need to seek professional medical help. “

And be careful not to spread it.

“If you’re coughing or sneezing make sure you over your mouth,” said Dr. El Sanadi.  “Either cough in your sleeve or cover your mouth.”

He also suggests frequent hand washing, which lasts at least 15 to 20 seconds.  Dr. El Sanadi also advises if you’re sick, stay home from work or school.

Instead, 17 parents or caregivers have complained that a protective cover on the top of the bottles didn’t work correctly. It’s meant to limit how much of the liquid pain and fever reducer can be drawn into a plastic syringe. But when those consumers inserted the plastic syringe, it pushed the protective cover, or flow restrictor, into the bottle.

J&J’s McNeil Consumer Healthcare unit, which has had about 25 product recalls since September 2009, said Friday that it is recalling all 574,000 bottles of grape-flavored, liquid Infants’ Tylenol from stores nationwide.

“Today’s news about the Infants’ Tylenol recall is clearly disappointing after all the progress that McNeil has been making to ensure its products meet the highest level of quality and consumer satisfaction,” CEO William Weldon said in a statement.

Last spring, Weldon told shareholders at J&J’s annual meeting that the company was simplifying the packaging to “help a mom, dad or caregiver ensure the correct dosing.” Weldon told The Associated Press then that he thought the new design would become the industry standard.

Infants’ Tylenol is one of the first nonprescription medicines reintroduced after all the recalls and an ongoing factory shutdown have kept most McNeil medicines off the market, some for nearly 2 years. That’s cost the company well over $1 billion in lost revenue, plus many millions to rebuild one factory and upgrade others.

McNeil spokeswoman Bonnie Jacobs said it was too soon to say when the product will return to the market.

“We are looking at various alternatives for the redesign of the dosing system and will set a timeline … once we’ve reviewed all the options,” she said.

The company said customers can continue to use the infant Tylenol if the bottle’s flow restrictor remains intact. If not, they can request a refund by contacting McNeil at 1-888-222-6036 or www.tylenol.com.

While babies are particularly vulnerable to excessive doses of medicine, J&J said there have been no reports of anyone being harmed.

The new infant Tylenol bottle comes with a plastic syringe that’s to be inserted into the flow restrictor at the top to help measure the right dose. The syringe has an opening in the tip but no needle. Consumers are to insert the tip of the syringe into the flow restrictor, turn the bottle upside down and then draw out the right dose using the milliliter markings on the syringe. That’s then squirted into the baby’s mouth.

McNeil changed the design to make it easier to get the dose right and to limit spillage if the bottle is knocked over, McNeil spokeswoman Barbara Montresor said. The prior version had an open-topped bottle and a dropper with a flexible bulb at the top, similar to a turkey baster.

McNeil is part of the consumer health business segment at J&J, which is based in New Brunswick, N.J. The company’s prescription drug and medicial device divisions each have issued at least two recalls in the last couple years.

Reasons for the recalls have included nauseating package odors, small glass or metal particles in liquid medicines and wrong levels of active ingredients.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

The big green “Fun Bus” is rolling around town bringing fun and fitness to school children in South Florida.

For the past five years Jeovanna Dominguez has been visiting schools and pre-schools in Miami-Dade and Broward counties to show kids the importance of fitness and have fun while doing so.

“We teach here that fitness is fun through music and imagination and best part about it it’s all on the bus”  said Dominguez to CBS 4’s Marybel Rodriguez outside of the Creative Learning Center in Kendall, one of the many pre schools she visits once a week.

The outside of the “Fun Bus” is a painted a bright green, instead of school bus yellow, and is adorned with pictures of kids and colored flowers.  The inside is a complete kids gym on wheels.  There are no seats.  Instead it is outfitted with colored mats, a rock climbing wall, monkey bars, tumbling balls, punching bags and much more.

But before any of the physical fun can begin, Dominguez likes to get the kids warmed up with a bit of stretching to ‘Itsy, Bitsy Spider.  Then it’s on to the ‘Freeze Dance’ followed by tumbling the bars.  In all it is a 30 minute work out which includes not only fitness but also coordination, counting and discipline.

Seven days a week Dominguez is on the road not only visiting schools and birthday parties.

“Rain or shine we are here we take over and when we leave the kids always want more”  said Dominguez as she packed up her mats, turned off the music and drove off to another school where kids were waiting to have some fun.

For more information on the Fun Bus visit their website www.funbuses.com.

More women die of heart disease than the next four causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer. 1 in 3 American women die of heart disease, compared to 1 in 30 women that die of breast cancer.

Ninety percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease. Eighty percent of cardiac events in women may be prevented if they make the right choices for their hearts, involving diet, exercise and abstinence from smoking.

Throughout February, American Heart Month, make every part of your celebration “Red” by enjoying these red food and drink tips from the American Heart Association.

Red Berry Squares:

Make strawberry-flavored gelatin mixed with fresh strawberries and raspberries. Cut into squares before serving.

Frozen Watermelon Bites:

Alternate frozen cubes of watermelon and mint leaves on a skewer and serve cold.

Ravin’ Red Smoothie:

Blend 1 cup low-fat yogurt, ½ cup frozen strawberries, ½ cup frozen raspberries and 1 frozen banana.

Red Pasta:

Cook whole-wheat spaghetti and top with low-sodium marinara sauce, diced tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes.

Baked Red Apple Dessert:

Fill 1 whole red apple (cored) with ¼ cup chopped almonds, ¼ cup dried cranberries, 1 tsp. honey and 1 tsp. brown sugar. Bake for 15 minutes at 350° or until sugar bubbles.

Perfect Polenta:

Cook polenta and mix with roasted cherry tomatoes, roasted red bell pepper and sun-dried tomato.

Stuffed Red Bell Peppers:

Stuff 1 red bell pepper (cored) with ½ cup cooked brown rice, ¼ diced red onion, ¼ cup ground turkey (browned), 1 tbsp. parsley, salt and pepper. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until pepper is heated through.

Roasted Red Cabbage Salad:

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups chopped red cabbage (roasted), ½ cup red onion (thinly sliced and sautéed), ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp. olive oil and sea salt.

Red Bean Salsa:

Combine 2 cups red beans, ½ cup diced red onions, 1 cup diced red tomato, ¼ cup diced jalapeño (remove seeds), ¼ cup chopped parsley, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, salt and pepper.

For more heart-healthy recipes visit GoRedForWomen.org/betterU or visit ShopGoRed.org

Mrs. Obama visited a Homestead YMCA for the “WebMD Town Hall: Simple Tips For Healthy Families.”  The First Lady and a panel of WebMD experts will hold a question and answer panel in front of a live audience to provide guidance about children’s health and wellness, in addition to steps South Florida families can take to implement healthy eating strategies in their homes.

Other Florida stops on the multi-state tour include Orlando and Longwood.

Mrs. Obama kicked off the tour Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa.  She chose the Hawkeye State for her first stop because it is working to become the nation’s healthiest state by 2016, as measured by the Gallup organization. It ranked 19th in 2010, the most recent rankings.

She sold healthy eating to the kids as something fun, but also dangled the bait that it could help them “pass your tests and get good grades in school.”

There were plenty of sports celebrities on hand to help pump up the crowd, including gymnast Shawn Johnson, figure skater Michelle Kwan, NASCAR champion Carl Edwards, Iowa State basketball coach Fred Hoiberg and former WNBA star Tamika Catchings.

The first lady took on the issue of childhood obesity because almost a third of U.S. children are at least overweight, and about 17 percent are obese.

In the two years since Mrs. Obama launched her campaign, she has brought substantial new visibility to the childhood obesity issue and has prodded schools, families, restaurants, grocery stores, doctors, local communities and others to do more to tackle the problem.

Before leaving for the Sunshine State, she was visiting Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas to announce a new program to improve the meals served on military bases. And she was having dinner at an Olive Garden restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas, to chat with parents about the challenges of getting kids to eat right.

(©2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Mrs. Obama will visit a Homestead are YMCA for the “WebMD Town Hall: Simple Tips For Healthy Families.” The First Lady and a panel of WebMD experts will hold a question and answer panel in front of a live audience to provide guidance about children’s health and wellness, in addition to steps South Florida families can take to implement healthy eating strategies in their homes.

Other Florida stops on the multi-state tour includes Orlando and Longwood.

Mrs. Obama kicked off the tour Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa. She chose the Hawkeye State for her first stop because it is working to become the nation’s healthiest state by 2016, as measured by the Gallup organization. It ranked 19th in 2010, the most recent rankings.

She sold healthy eating to the kids as something fun, but also dangled the bait that it could help them “pass your tests and get good grades in school.”

There were plenty of sports celebrities on hand to help pump up the crowd, including gymnast Shawn Johnson, figure skater Michelle Kwan, NASCAR champion Carl Edwards, Iowa State basketball coach Fred Hoiberg and former WNBA star Tamika Catchings.

The first lady took on the issue of childhood obesity because almost a third of U.S. children are at least overweight, and about 17 percent are obese.

In the two years since Mrs. Obama launched her campaign, she has brought substantial new visibility to the childhood obesity issue and has prodded schools, families, restaurants, grocery stores, doctors, local communities and others to do more to tackle the problem.

Before leaving for the Sunshine State, she was visiting Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas to announce a new program to improve the meals served on military bases. And she was having dinner at an Olive Garden restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas, to chat with parents about the challenges of getting kids to eat right.

(©2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

The plan approved by the subcommittee Monday would take huge chunks of the responsibilities now handled by the Florida Department of Health, centrally and by county health departments and move them, the jobs they carry, and the costs they incur under direct county control.

The state would abate the costs to the county in assuming the new responsibilities by giving them block grants.

Many county officials are not sure they want the gift.

“We feel like it’s really not ready for prime time,” Leon County Commissioner Bryan Desloge told the House Health & Human Services Quality Subcommittee.

But the subcommittee voted 7-4 to approve the bill, which emerged as lawmakers get ready to hit the halfway point of the legislative session Wednesday. It remains unclear whether the Senate would support such a bill, as its committees have not considered similar proposals.

The 152 page proposal that forms the basis of the bill calls for the Department of Health to put together a plan by Oct. 1 to decentralize public-health services, including transferring responsibilities and employees to county health departments. The decentralization would take effect in January 2014, with the state sending block grants to counties to pay for services.

Lucy Gee, acting deputy secretary at the Department of Health, said the changes could lead to eliminating 12,000 state jobs, though subcommittee Chairman John Wood, R-Winter Haven, said a lot of those jobs would simply be transferred to counties.

Chris Nuland, a lobbyist for the Florida Public Health Association, which includes public health officials from various parts of the state, said his group has a fundamental disagreement with the direction of the bill and is concerned it could jeopardize public health.

“We believe that public health should be a state-directed function,” he said.

But people on both sides of the issue recounted frustrations Monday in dealing with the department. Wood said more local involvement would be an improvement.

“We all know that reform is very, very difficult, and the biggest difficulty with reform is fear,” he said.

As part of the Miami Dade County Health Department’s ‘Make Healthy Happen Miami’ campaign the Little Haiti Farmers Market opened on Saturday at the Toussaint L’ouverture Elementary School, located 120 NE 59 Street. The market will be open weekly to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“We are happy that markets like the Little Haiti Farmers Market are giving people in all neighborhoods much needed access to fresh food by making locally grown fruits and vegetables readily available to the community,” said Dr. Lillian Rivera, Administrator for the Miami-Dade County Health Department, “and we are happy to be a part of this Saturday’s event by providing blood pressure exams, heart screenings and other health fair activities.”

Highlights at the market will include delectable freshly- picked fruit, locally- grown vegetables and delicious prepared foods. The produce for sale is not only nutritious but affordable. The Little Haiti Farmers Market accepts cash, credit, debit and SNAP food stamps, whose users receive $20 worth of food for a $10 EBT purchase.

The Make Healthy Happen Miami campaign’s goal is to make healthy living as simple as taking a Sunday stroll in a new community garden or buying bright-red tomatoes and juicy oranges at the Little Haiti Farmers’ Market.